• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • The Famous Blog
    • Blogging
    • Social Media
    • SEO
    • Marketing
    • Design

Famous Bloggers

How To Blog and Start a Business

  • Contribute
    • Submit News
  • Login

Home » The Famous Blog » Google +1, SEO, and How it Relates to Personalized Search

Google +1, SEO, and How it Relates to Personalized Search

June 21, 2011 - Last Modified: June 21, 2011 by Leo Dimilo

Google +1 Button

Google announces their latest attempt at social media with the +1 button in the search results and before the virtual ink is dry on the page, there are numbskulls trying to figure out ways that they can exploit this function to rank in search. Websites such as Fiver have people who are willing to sell people package deals to +1 their content 1,000 or so times.

Now, since many will think that Google has confirmed that they are using social platforms to help determine good content from bad, I think that there are those who think that making a purchase like this would be a good idea.

But before you jump out there, I want to present to you where I think that search is headed and how the search engines will eventually create a more personalized web for everyone. I also think that the +1 will help your website rank, just not in the everyone-likes-me-therefore-I-will-rank sort of way that we view ranking today.

Personalized Search….what is it?

Around 2007, Google starting implementing personalized search into their search results. It started with simply allowing gmail users to create their own homepage but since then has quickly accelerated into what some consider invasive (by monitoring what you are searching for).

They are doing this in many ways:

  • By segmenting your social circles online and showing you information that your friends liked or mentioned on social platforms.
  • By choosing ads if you have a gmail account according to the content within your emails.
  • To some degree, by monitoring click through behavior in search (things you click on often shows up more often.)

You can take off those tin foil hats though. This isn’t as insidious (or big brother) as it sounds.  They are doing it to be able to serve up more relevant ads to you according to what it can find out about you.  The more they know about you and what your tastes are, the more likely they will be able to present to you what you are looking for…the more money they will make.

…so, if you and your neighbor down the street are searching for the same thing on Google, it is likely that you will get different results based on your past search behavior…..

….and the more plugged in, socially, that you are online, the greater the diversity in rankings between yourself and your neighbor in the future….

Social media platforms such as twitter can affect current and breaking news but for long term worthwhile rankings, the links that twitter delivers are fleeting, both for search engine rankings and as a long term traffic funnel.

But Google uses Twitter for the social clusters of who you follow as well. If you google something that a friend or follower already likes or has mentioned, you are likely going to see that your friend liked it (think, recommendation).

So, while it is true that there is a baseline ranking for a keyword, the rankings move according to how you (and your “friends”) react to the rankings…

How Google’s +1 Feature Could Play a Part in This…

Up to this point, I have spoken mainly in truths.  There is no denying that YOUR social circle as well as your search behavior affects what shows up in search for YOU.  The more connected you are online, the greater the diversity in rankings compared to the baseline rankings found in search.
Now for some ifs….

Google has added the +1 feature to the mix.  Many are thinking that it will influence search rankings much like Twitter. Webmasters are wondering how Google plans to handle the litany of more savvy bloggers who are willing to game the system. Those that want to rank by any means possible are chomping at the bit…..

But what if Google +1 doesn’t necessarily play as much of a part in the baseline ranking as it does in the personalized search of the person who is clicking that +1 button?

In other words, what if by clicking the +1 button, you are affecting YOUR search results but not the ones of your neighbor?

Discussion Begins Now….

ShareTweet

Filed Under: SEO

About Leo Dimilo

Follow @LeoDimilo

Leo Dimilo has been causing mayhem as an internet marketer online for over a decade. He is owner of drunkonlife designs, which offers affordable online marketing strategies and website design to musicians in the greater area of Memphis, TN. He writes about internet marketing strategies at his blog.

Reader Interactions

Related Posts

  • Blogging Limiting Beliefs about Money5 Blogging Limiting Beliefs about Money that You Need to Release
  • SEO Trends InfographicSEO is Evolving: Trend You Need to Know About [Infographic]
  • What is Keeping Your Blog from Making Money?What is Keeping Your Blog from Making Money?
  • Social Media Professional Services ConsultantsImportance Of Professional Social Media Services For Businesses

{ 22 Responses }

  1. amit says:
    I just want to ask some question regarding this new term. 1.If some body is paying people to get click on +1 button on their website then can that website ll get high rank in SEs. 2.Is it necessary every visitor ll login with their account to click on this button to recommend website? 3.Can we say spammer can win the race in search engine ranking in future?
    • Leo Dimilo says:
      amit, If the +1 button only affects your own search results, then a million +1's won't affect global search. Trust me, google knows that the +1 button can be gamed. I am sure that they know all the scenarios.
  2. Ned Carey says:
    I suspect you are right about 1+ being about personalizing searches and ads. There used to be a way to turn off the personalized search in Google. I know I did it in the past but now I can't find where to turn it on or off. Maybe it is no longer an option and all searches are based on your search history.
    • Leo Dimilo says:
      There are ways to turn off personalized search. I think Yoast's website has a plugin that will allow you to do so. There is also a search operator appendage that you can add to each search query that will do the trick as well. But you are right...they aren't making it easy for someone to turn off search.
      • Ned Carey says:
        Thanks, I'll check it out. It's hard to evaluate where your site ranks if Google is customizing search results for everyone differently. I think it's a pretty safe bet my own site will rank highly in my own searches if I turn on personalized search.
  3. Matthews says:
    +1 button gonna rock in near future. I will also use this button on my website.
  4. Jitendra Singh says:
    Didn't know about it that Google was working on it so long. But whatever it is people started adopting google +.
  5. Extreme John says:
    Since the launching of the Google +1 button, a lot of discussions about it have been going on. I believe that the people behind Google +1 are already aware of the online people's reactions and feedback so they could be having some thoughts of resolving potential issues such as abuse. And just like the others, I'm excited with the results too.
  6. Keith Brown says:
    SEjournal is reporting as of tonight that Google is showing the +1 stats for users that aren't logged on as well. Big game changer...
    • Leo Dimilo says:
      Hey Keith...do you have the link to the SEJournal article reflecting this?
  7. Alan Rothstein says:
    I agree that Google +1 could play a part in the traditional google search algorithm, however it is also a great way to game the index. Keeping it as a personal search tool to share with friends is the best use I can see. Definitely won't replace Facebook anytime soon.
  8. Mark says:
    Really?!? Already? Somebody has already package up the plus one feature and is swelling it as a Fiverr gig. Actually, I knew this was coming. Honestly, I can't think of a metric that they could implement that couldn't be manipulated. Well, we'll see how it goes. Thanks for the write-up, Leo. Mark
  9. Dave Lucas says:
    Hey Leo! Immediately after installing +1, my blog traffic TRIPLED! It leveled off after a week, but now everyday my numbers are twice what they were before +1! PS - Here's a way to add +1 to old tsyle blogspot templates: http://dave-lucas.blogspot.com/2011/06/add-google-1.html and - here's why I think +1 may not be as important as we are being led to believe http://dave-lucas.blogspot.com/2011/06/google-1-qr-codes-and-activist-bloggers.html
  10. Sonali Joshi says:
    i will install Google +1 in my blog and see how it changes my ranking in search engines...
  11. Blazing Minds says:
    I've recently added +1 to my blog and it will be interesting to see how this affects the overall traffic to the site via the Googles system, though I'm not sure if it will affect the search engine ranking that much, but I suppose only time will tell on how all this works out.
    • Leo Dimilo says:
      To a large degree, it is just another button choice that someone has to push. The downside for Google is that in order for the button to work at all, they have to have a gmail account. That will reduce the numbers. And, of course, we talk about this because we are bloggers or marketers. The majority of the world doesn't even know it exists. So effectiveness? Who knows.
  12. jonathan cole says:
    +1 from Google, lots of discussion going around, i personally think that it will give a chance to spammer to alter the search result but when think about Google it does not seems to be easy for spammer, lets wait for the result .
    • Leo Dimilo says:
      If it only affects personalized search and not baseline rankings, then it becomes a moot point for the spammer to do anything.
  13. Sam says:
    Hi Leo, Nice points raised here. I personally think that Google +1 only affect your and your friends search result not for everyone. I mean you can't force any content to rank well just by getting good amount of +1's, may be I'm wrong so good idea is to wait for couple of months and see how actually +1 reacts.
    • Leo Dimilo says:
      Sam, I agree, man.
  14. Leo Dimilo says:
    Thanks Chris. Yeah, the jury is still out for the Google #1 and it's impact. Google is going to push it (they already are is you are an adsense publisher. But once again, I tend to believe that the folks that are pushing the +1 buttons are really helping Google figure out which ads to serve to them on a more personal level and I think that that is the real reason why social media is of such a great interest to Google.
  15. Chris says:
    Nice write up Leo! It will be interesting to see some of the results of Google's +1 data in the coming months. I myself, will be curious to see how much of an actual impact...if any...it has on search rankings. Either way I thinks it's a cool feature and will use it on all my sites.

Primary Sidebar

Our Newsletter

Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our blog.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Popular Articles

  1. Top 10 Sites Where You Can Get Paid to Write 115,652 views
  2. How to Get Targeted Twitter Followers Fast 92,036 views
  3. How to Set Half Rating Scale 1-5 (Poor to Excellent) by Words 86,845 views
  4. 66 Awesome Social Media Quotes 78,368 views
  5. 50 Traffic Sources You Should Milk Like Crazy 75,081 views
Schema Structured Data for wordPress
  • Blog
  • Contribute
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclosure Policy

Copyright ©2020 · FamousBloggers - All Rights Are Reserved · Powered by Genesis Framework

  • Login
Forgot Password?
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.
Go to mobile version